This is the 1/24 Mobile Police Patlabor (The Movie) AV-98 1st by Yamato. Read that carefully and memorize it because years from now it will be the toy you will wish you had bought when they where still on the shelf. Your not a Patlabor fan you say? No matter, if you are any sort of robot fan you will want one. I'm just going to cut to the chase and I'll even bold it for you.

As of July, 2009 I declare this to be...

The best toy I have ever had the pleasure handling. EVER!

Please note: This statement will of course be completely rescinded the moment someone one comes along and ups the “toy tech” ante, but it may be awhile before that happens...Thank you.

Honestly no amount of talking, writing and nerding out will convey how truly amazing this piece is. So just watch the video...

Still here? OK.

Mobile Police Patlabor was originally a 6 episode OVA released in Japan starting in 1988. The success of that series spun off a number of films, a full run TV show, and a secondary OVA series. The Patlabor mythology is long. If you would like a complete breakdown you can always hit up Wikipedia.

This is the AV-98 01 from the first movie as piloted by Noa Izumi and is designed and manufactured by Yamato to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the first film.

The box is enormous! Which makes sense considering the toy inside is close to 14 inches tall. There is no window-box on this release. It's as if they decided to go back to a more old-school style with original artwork on the front and photos all over the rest of the box.

Open it up and the manual sits on top of a Styrofoam coffin taped down in a plastic bag. Crack the box open and the figure's wrapped in silk.

Yep, you read that correctly, it is wrapped in silk. As if to say, “We know this is so magnificent it must be protected from mundane packing materials.” Well what was wrapped in the silk was stunning...

The first thing you notice is the sheer size of the thing. The AV-98 stands 14 inches tall from bottom of it's feet to the top of the antenna array. The body is a metal endo-skeleton wrapped in cloth (more like a leather like feel than cloth actually)and the white armor panels attached over that. The plastic used for the outer pieces feels like quality plastic. The fit and finish on this is flawless really.

Paint detail is exacting and applied with precision. No detail is spared no matter how small.

The ratchet joints in the knees, elbows and feet all make a nice solid click when moved. The tension joints are nice and tight as well, holding any pose you can really throw at it.

The feet also feature a full range of pose-ability.

Range of motion is fantastic on this piece, allowing you to fully recreate any scene from the movie. Yamato even added back calf panels that sink in to allow you to pose it kneeling.

As for accessories. Well lets see, you get...

A Noa figure with alternate head (angry face and smiling face.)

A nightstick/baton (one extended made of diecast metal and one telescoping made of plastic.)

A revolver for the AV-98 is also included. Yamato even went so far as to include tiny bullets.

Removable riot shield.

This fine piece of Japanese engineering comes loaded to the gills with features and gimmicks.

The blast shield raises to cover the delicate head cameras.

The shoulder patrol lights actually light up and strobe.

Caution lights can actually be raised and lightup as well.

Both sets of hands extend at the wrists.

Hands feature articulated fingers. Joints on these are all nice and tight.

The cockpit opens to accommodate the fixed-posed Noa figure.

The seat also rises, the control sticks can rotate forward. You can raise the mecha's head, open the top hatch with blast shield, and have Noa look out of the mecha that way as well.

The right thigh plate opens to reveal a spring loaded holster for the revolver.

Left thigh plate opens to store spare bullets. Bullets can also be placed into the revolver.

And finally Yamato has included a working, spring-loaded tow cable as well. A button on the bottom of the unit activates it.

It's all quality stuff here. The fit, finish and attention to detail is just extraordinary. Yeah it comes with a steep price but quality of this caliber is few and far between. I meant what I said at the begining of this article. It is, as of this review, the very best that Japan has to offer in the way of toy/collectible technology. It gives me hope for future larger scale items like the SDF-1 Macross (announced) or maybe a 1/60 Zentradi Battle Pod (pure speculation on my part.) Get one while they're available at retail; I am positive the price on this piece will only rise to ridiculous heights once it goes out of production.

Gah! I really DO need to get this, but I have neither the space to display it or the free cash to grab it any time soon...

Have you noticed any potential wear points now that you've had it for a bit? The one thing I worry about is the individual fingers wearing out like they do on Perfect Grade gundam kits. Are they a rugged and robust assembly?

To be honest this is teetering on the edge of my max price point for Patlabor figures. It looks so awesome and the scale is incredible. All it's short of doing is firing live rounds! Well I suppose they have to keep something for the next edition! XD

Secretly I've been hoping this would force a further price drop on the 1/48 W.H.A.M! AV-98, as it's currently 30% off somewhere; I think it will go lower.

With the 1/35 Gundam Fix, SDF-1 1/2000, and now this 2009 is going to end BIG!

"The optimist proclaims that we live in the best of all possible worlds, and the pessimist fears this to be true." - James Branch Cabell 1926.

but, what is the little clear piece of square plastic supposed to represent? I haven't watched any Patlabor, so forgive my lack of knowledge. Also, Atom, does it seem like the holster for the pistol has an insanely powerful spring action? When I open the leg on mine, the gun comes flying out. The inside leg panels on the mech's right leg (gun holding leg) seems a bit looser than the other leg. Has anyone else noticed this? Overall a great toy for what it is. The detail is incredible.

I don't know what it represents but I think it's supposed to unlock the light-up feature switch on the back. I myself am confused about which way the thing is supposed to go in. When I first went to turn the lights on it wouldn't budge so I disassembled as much of the housing as possible and kinda delicately forced it. Then I noticed the slot for the little square. It points to it in the directions but not very clearly. I can't read Japanese. It still confuses me a little, as it still has problems, even with the plastic square inserted... Hope that helps.

Atom, any insight??

Also yes, mine has a quite powerful spring mech., and one leg panel does seem looser than the other

I'm not that big a fan of the show or movie but I saw this guy at the CC Yamato booth and I had to have it. I'm a sucker for high detail. And god, he's gorgeous. Picked him up for $260 incl shipping at BBTS. So amazing. The review says it all.

Thanks for the help on the square and the responses on the leg panels. I also got mine at BBTS. They are an incredible online retailer. By the way, I haven't had any problems with the lighting mechanism on mine. I don't think the plastic square affects the switch for that. I have found that those tiny little bullets are extremely easy to lose if you put them in the leg magazine. They have a tendency to fall out and disappear. I am eagerly waiting for the Fewture Shin Getter One now.

Hey I've just been enjoying my time tinkering with my figure, but noticed someting on the battery pack casing. On it theres a hook, and was wondering what it was for? I Now know that Yamato is gonna make a Unit 2 Ingram, so is it a part to be meant to hold the Riot Gun that comes with gun lovin Ohta's Unit 2?

Thought it would'nt hurt to ask, and ATOM you think you wil do a review on the CLAT Ingram? Was impressed enough to consider getting a repaint if the paint job seems good enough. Although you could've said the shield's black trim for Unit 1 was prone to rubbing off easy...

Great review. Yeah they designed the Ingram 1 to be easily modified for later units. Look at the styrafoam. They already knew how big the shotgun was going to be. I mean there is really no good reason to have such a large space for such a small revolver.

Well i dont feel like buying unit 2 just for the shotgun. So I happened to dig out my Yujin "The Gun Collection" Pump action shotgun from one of my random toy boxes. The shotgun is about the right size for the Ingram. It is a small line of scaled weapons that shoot plastic bullets.

Yes you read that correctly. My little shotgun SHOOTS plastic bullets. You pump the foregrip, top load a small plastic slug, close the breech and pull the trigger. a ram rod is spring loaded and pushes the bullet out. not terribly far but cool for added geekiness.